Enterprise Networking & Security Solutions

Palo Alto Networks - GlobalProtect

Consistent Policy & Enforcement for All Users

GlobalProtect extends the same next-generation firewall-based policies that are enforced within the physical perimeter to all users, no matter where they are located. In effect, GlobalProtect establishes a logical perimeter that extends policy beyond the physical perimeter. Employees working from home, on the road for business, or logging in from a coffee shop will be protected by the logical perimeter in the same manner that they would be if they were working from their office.

The GlobalProtect agent is a small piece of software that resides on the end-user’s PC (Mac too). This agent can be delivered to the user automatically via Active Directory, SMS or Microsoft System Configuration Manager or can be downloaded directly from the GlobalProtect Portal. The agent does three key things: It communicates to the GlobalProtect Portal to obtain the appropriate policy for the user. It establishes and maintains a secured connection to the nearest (fastest) Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect Gateway. And lastly it compiles a Host Information Profile (HIP) of the client device including such factors as patch level, disk encryption, antivirus version and many more.

The GlobalProtect Portal provides the centralized management for the solution. Any Palo Alto Networks firewall can act as the portal while also performing its everyday duties as a next-generation firewall. However, each GlobalProtect deployment will only have 1 portal at a time. The portal provides three key functions: - It delivers the GlobalProtect Agent to users. - It provides the GlobalProtect agents with a list of available GlobalProtect Gateways.- It manages the authentication certificates for the solution. The GlobalProtect Portal, like all Palo Alto Networks can be run as a high-availability pair, to ensure always-on reliability of the solution.

NOTE: Starting with PANOS 7.0, you no longer need to purchase the GP Portal License.!

The GlobalProtect Gateways are responsible for the majority of the actual security enforcement in the solution. Similar to the portal, any Palo Alto Networks firewall can be a gateway for the GlobalProtect solution. However, unlike the portal, you can leverage as many gateways simultaneously as you need, ensuring multiple potential routes between an agent and gateway. The Gateway has three core functions: First and foremost, it performs the full breadth of next-generation firewalling functionality including application control, threat prevention, URL filtering, user visibility, etc on all traffic from associated GlobalProtect Agents. It also provides the end of the secure connection established by the Agent. Lastly, it receives the Host Information Profile (HIP) and enforces policies accordingly.

Standardized control of applications, users and content, irrespective of location

GlobalProtect delivers a significant benefit to organizations; a consistent firewall-based security policy for all users, irrespective of location. The creation and management of separate policies for firewalls and remote users is eliminated, as are the associated management efforts. Using GlobalProtect, roaming devices will automatically discover the organizations' nearest Palo Alto Networks gateway and upon login, will be protected as though they were working locally. The same application enablement, threat prevention, and URL filtering policies that are applied to users within the corporate walls are applied to users when they login remotely. The result is a streamlined security infrastructure that eliminates duplicate security components and builds a more consistent security policy.

Protects the network from out-of-date laptops and PCs

GlobalProtect expands the security policy matching criteria beyond applications, users and content to include information about the host state. Prior to granting access to a network resource, host state policies can be established to verify critical elements such as OS patch level or updated virus protection being available and active on the client computer.

Single Sign-on streamlines login process

For Microsoft Windows users, single sign-on can be established, taking full advantage of the Windows login process, for a seamless user experience. Currently supported operating systems include Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 (32- and 64 bit).

FAQs - Global Protect

It is a software agent that that extends the protection of a corporate perimeter to remote user laptops thereby applying all the same policies and protections to remote users. This includes URL filtering, threat inspection, visibility, etc. already being provided to local users. It does this by utilizing three components: 1) Existing corporate PAN firewall(s) acting as gateways.2) A GlobalProtect portal for management including host configuration characteristics. The portal deals with authentication and downloading of new agent software if needed for the client.3) An agent that communicates to the portal, creates an encrypted session to the gateway(s) and it creates a Host Information Profile (HIP) of the client device.4) New - Now with support for Apple iOS.

PAN firewalls are used as the enforcement appliances. From a license perspective, a portal license must be purchased for the unit (or more for redundancy) doing the portal management. Licenses for GlobalProtect are required on all desired PAN units acting as gateways (this does not have to be all the deployed PANs, just those desired as remote access gateways). Support is purchased for updates to the software along with technical support.

GP (Global Protect) is included in a lite basic form which supports a single gateway and portal (without the host endpoint enforcement). To enable multiple gateways and/or endpoint enforcement, and/or mobile support, optional licenses purchases and subscriptions are required.

NOTE: Starting with PANOS 7.0, you no longer need to purchase the GP Portal License.!

SSL VPN connectivity via a lite version of GP is already included on the PAN base systems to address remote access for users. GlobalProtect license option extends this further by automatically selecting the closet gateway, making sure remote users get the same policies applied by keeping them connected to the gateways enforcing the policies and making sure that hosts comply with configuration requirements.

GlobalProtect acts as a transparent SSL VPN regardless of how users connect to the Internet and making sure those connections remain encrypted. GP will use IPSec by default for performance benefits, but can fallback to SSL where networks disallow IPSec traffic.

You can control where users are placed in terms of a security zone. Users can be placed in the same internal network (typically Trust) zone or they can have their tunnels terminated in a different secure zone (e.g. RemoteUsers) and then use security policies tied to usernames and/or applications to control and restrict access. This includes threat inspection features, spyware, malware, ant-virus, etc. Sounds like a great idea, right?

It can be done, but you need to talk with your PAN administrator and have them check the Palo Alto Networks support site. We're not going to help IT users remove a corporate control from their desktops except via the official corporate administrators. Yes, GP is an excellent tool for enforcing corporate policies and as such should not be easy to disable or remove by unauthorized users.

If you would like us to work with the IT department, we are available for Professional Services via a billable engagement.

1) Configure a Global Protect portal and gateway as usual2) Edit the Global Protect Gateway:- Check "Enable IPSec Tunnel"- Check "Enable 3rd party VPN support"- Fill out the group name and group password3) This configuration will generate a group password auth (VPN client) and Xauth authentication for users4) Use the built-in VPN capability in IOS